Exam 3 Flashcards
Health
Health is a state of being free from illness or injury. Health is intimately tied to behavior and mental processes. (physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing)
Health Psychology
Health psychology is the study of how psychological factors (like stress) affect health and illness. Health psychology also includes the study of how interventions help maintain health and combat illness.
Health Psychologists
Who study how people’s behaviors influence their health, have classified stressors into several types
Leading Causes of Death in Adults
Heart disease - chronic
Cancer - chronic
Chronic lower respiratory diseases - chronic
Unintentional injuries
Stroke
Alzheimer’s disease
Diabetes
Influenza and pneumonia
Kidney disease
Suicide
What behaviors contribute to health
Maintain healthy weight
Exercise regularly
Eat a healthy diet
Get 8 hours of sleep
Quit smoking (or never smoke)
Behaviors that contribute to chronic conditions
Excessive alcohol consumption
Tobacco smoking
Unhealthy diet
Inadequate exercise
Inadequate sleep
Stressors
Stimuli in our lives that we perceive as challenges or threats (Stressors are stimuli that place demands on us and require us to adapt in some manner)
Reactions
Second part in the process of stress response (includes bodily reactions)
Coping
By perceiving and then reacting, we are coping with the challenges or threats (successfully/not)
Cognitive Appraisal
Is it irrelevant, stressful, or positive
Is this a threat, harm, or challenge
Challenge = better; threat = worse
Various sources of stressors
Major life events
Catastrophes
Daily hassles
Frustration
Pressure
Conflict
Degrees of stressors
Microstressors
Major negative events
Catastrophic events
Microstressors
Daily hassles and minor annoyances (traffic jam, line at the grocery store, etc)
Major negative events
Personal, negative events (divorce, death of a loved one, serious illness, etc.)
Catastrophic events
Tend to occur unexpectedly and affect large numbers of people; affect both physical and mental health (hurricane, tsunami, wildfire)
Fight or Flight response
Sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system
Release of adrenaline, norepinephrine, cortisol
Affects multiple body systems; suppresses immune system
General Adaptation Syndrome
Our stress response system defends, then fatigues (The body’s resistance to stress can only last so long before exhaustion sets in)
Phase one of GAS
Alarm reaction (mobilize resources)
Phase 2 of GAS
Resistance (cope with stressors)
Phase 3 of GAS
Exhaustion (reserves depleted)
Diseases of Adaptation
Chronic inflammation
Damage to heart and blood vessels
High blood pressure, heart disease
Depressed immune function
Colds, flu
Arthritis
Disruptions in gut bacteria
HPA Axis
Hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal gland axis
Effects of chronic stress
More vulnerable to infectious diseases (colds and flu)
Progression of HIV infection to AIDS is influenced by stress
Produces greater vulnerability to the virus responsible for mono, which is normally kept in check by the immune system
Stress related to social relationships can be especially harmful to our ability to stay healthy
Heart disease is associated with chronic stress (damage affects the ability of blood vessels to expand when necessary)
PTSD
Severe negative reactions to a traumatic event, including anxiety, irritability, jumpiness, inability to concentrate or work productively, dysfunction in many areas of life (thinking, sexual function, relationships, sleep)
Burnout
An increasingly intense pattern of physical and psychological dysfunction in response to a continuous flow of stressors or to chronic stress
Biopsychosocial model of health
Health is the product of interaction between a range of different factors. These interact with and can influence one another. Making a change to one factor can produce changes to the other factors.
Biological factors
Genetics
Physiological functioning
Fitness levels
Illness
Internal body chemistry (hormones + neurotransmitters)
Psychological factors
Lifestyle
Stress
Cognitive functioning
Beliefs
Mental illness
Modes of thinking
Social factors
Culture
Family
Interpersonal relationships
Social support
General environment
Perceived control
How can I cope or manage this stressor
Feeling of control = better
Lack of control = worse
Problem-focused coping strategies
Controlling or altering the environment that is causing the stress
Emotion-focused coping strategies
Controlling your internal, subjective, emotional reactions to stress (cognitive reappraisal, defense mechanisms)
Steps to Reducing Stress
Assessment, goals, planning, action, evaluation, adjustment
Physical stress management techniques
Exercise
Progressive relaxation
Meditation, breathing
Yoga
Behavioral stress management techniques
Manage time wisely
Laugh
Be spiritual
Imagine a calm environment
Psychological stress management techniques
Cognitive reappraisal (stress=challenge, not threat)
Avoid perfectionism
Cognitive restructuring (replace upsetting thoughts with more constructive ones)
Try to be optimistic
Social-emotional stress management techniques
Develop social support
Talk with friends
Find community
Seek advice
Make stress your friend
View stress as “energizing” you to surmount obstacles or deal with stressors (cognitive appraisal)
Talk about your stress with others (seek social support)
Help others (take your focus on your own stressors/enhance your social network)
Health Literacy
What is it: Individuals’ ability to obtain, process, and understand the basic health information and services they need to manage their health and make appropriate health decisions
Effects of low health literacy
1.5-3 times more likely to have negative health outcomes
Lower knowledge of healthcare and conditions
More hospitalizations
Lower overall health scores
Poor diabetes and COPD control
More anxiety and depression
Fewer (or no) flu vaccines and annual cancer screening
Having children with more health issues (poor understanding, support of child health)
Abnormal behavior
Thought and behavior patterns characterized as atypical, disturbing, maladaptive, or unjustifiable
Deviance, distress, dysfunction
Normal to Abnormal Continuum
Behavior is viewed on a continuum from normal to psychological disorder
DSM-5
Lists 20 categories of disorders
Covers more than 300 disorders
Takes an a-theoretical approach
Shows improved reliability and validity over time
Having standards does not guarantee a correct diagnosis
Biological/Neurobiological perspective
All abnormal behavior has a physical cause (genes, biochemistry, neurological impairments)
Psychological perspective
Abnormal behavior is caused by internal factors (sometimes with external influences)
Sociocultural perspective
Abnormal behavior develops within a social context (family, community, and society) and must be treated according to that social context
Biopsychosocial perspective
We draw from multiple perspectives, not just one, in treating mental disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Excessive worry about a number of events, often with no identifiable cause (lasts at least 6 months)
Panic Disorder
Person has recurrent abrupt experiences of unexpected intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms
Agoraphobia
Fear of being trapped in public and getting a panic attack
Specific Phobias
Persistent fear that is excessive and unreasonable (lasts at least 6 months)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
A disorder where the person experiences anxiety related to an obsession or compulsion or both
Obsession: An involuntary, irrational thought that occurs repeatedly (intrusive thoughts)
Compulsion: An action that a person feels compelled to do, even though it is irrational
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Results from exposure to a traumatic event during which one feels helplessness or fear
Hoarding Disorder
Persistent difficulty discarding possessions such that they accumulate and clutter living areas causing significant distress and impairment in functioning
Dissociative Disorders
Involve a loss of connection with some part of our consciousness, identity, or memory
Dissociative Amnesia
sudden loss of memory
Dissociative Identity Disorder
multiple personality disorder
Somatic Symptom Disorders
Involve physical complaints for which there is no apparent physical cause
Illness Anxiety Disorder
Sometimes identifiable, not voluntarily produced, involves cognitive distortions regarding illness
Conversion Disorder
Not identifiable but involves physical symptoms, not voluntarily produced, no cognitive distortions regarding illness
Depressive Disorder
May involve depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in one’s usual activities; changes in sleep patterns, appetite, and motor functioning; and loss of energy
Bipolar Disorder
Involve shifts in mood between two states; depressed and manic
Explaining Mood Disorders
Genetics
Neurotransmitters
(Serotonin
Norepinephrine)
Stress hormones
Brain structures
(Prefrontal cortex
Limbic system)
Psychological factors
(Learned helplessness
Ruminative coping style
Cognitive distortions)
Sociocultural factors (Stressful events
Lower SES
Prior trauma)
Suicide
90% of all people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental health disorder
In 2010, suicide was 11th-leading cause of death in US
Among 25-34 year olds, it was the 2nd leading cause of death
Among 15-24 year olds, it was the 3rd leading cause of death
Among 35-44 year olds, it was the 4th leading cause of death
Schizophrenia
Characterized by a lack of reality testing, deterioration of social and intellectual functioning, and serious personality disintegration with significant changes in thought, mood perception and behavior
Schizophrenia: Epidemiology
Typically diagnosed in adolescence or early adulthood (men generally diagnosed earlier than women)
Rates differ by race and ethnicity
Schizophrenia: Neural and Developmental Factors
Abnormalities in brain structure and neurotransmitter function are associated with schizophrenia
These abnormalities may have origins in prenatal and early childhood development
Schizophrenia: Positive Symptoms
Delusions
Hallucinations
Disorganized speech
Disordered behavior
Schizophrenia: Negative Symptoms
Blunted affect
Alogia
Avolition
Personality Disorders
Odd or Eccentric Behaviors
Anxious or Fearful Behaviors
Dramatic or Erratic Behaviors
Odd or Eccentric Behaviors
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Dramatic or Erratic Behaviors
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Anxious or Fearful Behaviors
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Dependent Personality Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Paranoid personality disorder
Pervasive pattern of mistrust and suspiciousness regarding others’ motives
Schizoid personality disorder
Socially isolated, emotionally cold, indifferent to others
Schizotypal personality disorder
Peculiar thoughts and behaviors; poor interpersonal relationships
Antisocial personality disorder
Failure to conform to social or legal codes; lack of anxiety and guilt; irresponsible behaviors
Borderline personality disorder
Intense fluctuations in mood, self-image, and interpersonal relationships
Histrionic personality disorder
Self-dramatization, exaggerated emotional expression, and seductive, provocative or attention-seeking behaviors
Narcissistic personality disorder
Exaggerated sense of self-importance; exploitative behavior; lack of empathy
Avoidant personality disorder
Pervasive social inhibition; fear of rejection and humiliation
Dependent personality disorder
Excessive dependence on others; inability to assume responsibilities; submissive
Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder
Perfectionism; controlling interpersonal behavior; devotion to details; rigidity
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Characterized by impairment in social communication and social interaction; and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity
Boys diagnosed more frequently
Problem: person is chronically under-aroused mentally
Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Off-task behavior; difficulty focusing
Lack of inhibition
Hyperactivity
Impulsivity
Common Treatments of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Central nervous system stimulants (Adderall, Ritalin) - increase mental arousal
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Psychological Therapy (Psychotherapy)
A therapist uses various techniques to help a person overcome difficulties, gain personal insight, and achieve personal growth (Multiple perspectives, evidence-based)
Biological and Psychological Perspectives
Lithium discovered as a treatment for bipolar disorder
Evidence-based Practice
Best scientific evidence
Individual clinical expertise
Patient values
Types of Mental Health Professionals
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Counselors
Social Workers
Couples or Family Therapists
Therapy Considerations
Length of treatment
Individual, couples, family, or group therapy
Setting (in or outpatient)
Who seeks treatment
Related to severity
Difficult to estimate
Who sees a family physician
Self-select/report
Psychoanalytic Psychological Therapies
Uncover unconscious motivation/issues
Techniques of Psychoanalysis
Free association
Dream analysis
Hypnosis
Projective tests
Talk therapy
Humanistic Psychological Therapies
Discover a person’s needs/goals (Carl Rogers)
Techniques of humanism
Empathy
Genuineness
Unconditional positive regard
Active listening
Behavioral Psychological Therapies
To change behavior; to help the person learn a more healthy, adaptive behavior
Techniques of behaviorism
Systematic desensitization
Flooding
Aversion therapy
Token economies
Modeling
Cognitive Psychological Therapies
To change a client’s maladaptive thinking patterns
Techniques of Cognitive therapy
Cognitive restructuring
Rational emotive behavior therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Cognitive Distortions
All-or-nothing thinking
Arbitrary inference
Emotional reasoning
Magnification and minimization
Overgeneralization
All-or-nothing thinking
Seeing each event as completely good or bad, right or wrong, a success or a failure
Arbitrary inference
Concluding that something negative will happen or is happening even though there is no evidence to support it
Emotional reasoning
Assuming that negative emotions are accurate without questioning them
Magnification and minimization
Overestimating the importance of negative events and underestimating the impact of positive events
Overgeneralization
Applying a negative conclusion of one even to other unrelated events and areas of one’s life
Rational Emotive Therapy
- Activating event
- Belief
- Emotional and behavioral consequences
Rational Intervention:
Challenging the belief
New effective philosophy
New feelings
Classes of Psychoactive Medications
Anti-anxiety
Anti-psychotics
Mood stabilizers
Antidepressants
Biological Therapies
Electroconvulsive therapy
Psychosurgery
Brain stimulation
Neurofeedback
